GET MOVING
Junior travel ambassadors
at Oaklands Primary are
with active travel champion
Helen Collinson
Mini travel guides
It is important to get around the borough safely. And it is important to stay
physically active to remain healthy. School pupils from across the borough are
helping to lead the way towards bringing these two elements together through
‘active travel’. Jessica O’Neil-Shaw reports.
J
unior travel ambassadors (JTAs)
form a pupil council (usually
comprised of year 5 and 6 pupils)
at each school. They specialise in
promoting active and sustainable travel
such as walking, scooting or cycling, as
well as road safety. The ambassadors
get together on a regular basis with
a member of school staff to discuss
ways they can promote these positive
messages through activities they can
run themselves.
Helen Collinson (pictured above with
pupils) is the school travel champion at
Oaklands Primary School, in Hanwell,
and has just taken up the role of active
travel officer at Ealing Council. She
said: “Our JTAs’ visibility and hard work
has helped to increase the numbers of
children cycling, scooting and walking to
school each day.”
JTAs from schools across Ealing
attended an inaugural event recently
that was held to discuss active travel
28
around ealing February 2019
in their schools and how they can
help to make the borough a healthier,
safer and better place to live. The
day involved workshops on public
speaking at assemblies, promotion of
campaigns, running competitions and
planning for Road Safety Week.
As part of the council’s Get Moving
campaign, cycling, walking or scooting
is highly recommended – especially
when taking short trips around the
borough, such as going to and from
school. The benefits of deciding to
take an active means of transport
instead of sitting in a car or on public
transport can reduce the risk of
suffering serious health conditions, cut
congestion on the roads and help to
improve air quality for all.
‘FUN AND ENGAGING’
Councillor Yvonne Johnson, cabinet
member for schools and children’s
services, said: “Our dedicated
JTAs across the borough are key to
spreading the message of active and
safe travel within schools. By educating
their fellow pupils in fun and engaging
ways, they help more children to
understand how to stay safe on
Ealing’s roads.”
Throughout Road Safety Week,
schools promoted the important safety
message by holding Be Bright Be Seen
‘mufti days’ and held competitions
for poetry and posters where prizes
included reflectors for bikes or scooters
and having the winning designs
included in their school’s newsletter.
GET INVOLVED
If a school would like to take action
on road safety and promote life-
saving messaging through the annual
programme, staff can find guidance,
ideas for noticeboards, monthly bulletins
and more under the school travel plans
section at www.egfl.org.uk